


Hang On, Freed

by Rhov



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, Cauterization, Inspired By Tumblr, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27671807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhov/pseuds/Rhov
Summary: "Hang on, Freed. I need you to be okay, because if you die, nothing will ever be okay again."
Relationships: Laxus Dreyar/Freed Justine
Comments: 24
Kudos: 103





	Hang On, Freed

_A request from death-sensei on Tumblr._

* * *

Laxus had been busy with another fight when he heard a scream. He knew that voice all too well.

"Freed," he whispered in horror. He looked back at the enemy. "If you've fuckin' harmed him…"

The threat was cut off by an explosion in the direction where Freed had been fighting. Laxus cursed under his breath. He hated the idea of simply killing the enemy—there was no fun in that—but Freed needed help.

"Fuck you," he sneered.

Lightning exploded out, and the man in front of him dropped, twitching, his eyes burning right out of their sockets. Laxus took off, bolting with a crack and blinding speed, coming to a stop in front of Freed.

He was on the ground with a puddle of blood spreading around him. Three enemies were around. He had been outnumbered, yet it seemed he won. Not without injuries.

"Freed!" Laxus knelt beside him. "Shit. How bad is it?"

"Not … bad."

"Liar." Laxus always knew when Freed was lying to him. "Don't move. Put pressure on it. Wendy is around here somewhere."

There was another explosion.

"Dammit, who keeps doing that? If that's Salamander, I swear—"

"It's one of the enemies," Freed explained, pushing on his abdomen as blood seeped between his fingers. "He's cutting us off from one another. We all got separated."

Laxus looked at the blood still spreading. Freed was bleeding way too fast. "Can you do anything? A rune, something?"

"There's … one … but you have to … _nnngh!_ … to do it."

"What do you need?" Laxus said right away.

"Fire," he said, growing weak and struggling to breathe. "I can give you fire for a short while. Cauterize the wound."

Laxus did not like the sound of that. It would hurt like hell, and it did not stop internal bleeding. Still, it was better than having Freed bleed out before they could get to the young healer. "Fine, I'll do it."

Freed's bloody hand shook as he lifted it and drew a rune on Laxus' chest. Then he collapsed and went limp.

"Freed!" Laxus screamed.

A flame suddenly lit on his hand. Freed said it would only last a little while, so he knew he had to make the most of it. He yanked up Freed's shirt. Without his hand putting on pressure, blood spurted out in throbs. Laxus gritted his teeth and put the fire up against Freed's skin. Smoke wafted up, and with it the wretched smell of burned skin. Then Laxus rolled him around and saw that the strike went straight through, with a hole blasted out his back as well. As the flame on his hand lessened, he slammed his hand down on that injury, and the burning stench curled up again with a sizzle of charred flesh and boiled blood.

Finally, it was over. Laxus was glad that Freed had been unconscious through the cauterization, because that probably would have hurt severely. After a minute, the flame on his hand snuffed out.

"Let's get you out of here," he said, and Laxus grabbed Freed up into his arms. "Hang on, Freed. I need you to be okay, because if you die…" The mere thought brought tears to his eyes and a shot of acid burned the back of his throat. No way! That just _couldn't_ happen. "…if you die, nothing will ever be okay again."

He gave Freed a kiss on the forehead, worried because it already felt cold. He saw his pulse still throbbing on the pale, slender neck, so that was reassuring.

Laxus stepped out and saw the battles still waging around him. Gray ran past, firing his ice cannon at an enemy. He paused when he saw Laxus holding Freed.

"Is he okay?"

"Where's Wendy?" Laxus growled.

"I don't know." Gray barely dodged a blast of magic. "We got separated." He fired the ice cannon again.

Laxus pointed a single finger at the man Gray was fighting and electrocuted him. The enemy collapsed, and Gray's mouth dropped at the immense power of the Lightning Dragon Slayer.

"Find Wendy," Laxus demanded.

Gray gulped at the terrifying look in his eyes. "Sure thing."

Gray ran ahead, although he was stopped by another fight between Lucy and Erza against one of the leaders of the dark wizards. Laxus carefully set Freed down.

"Gray, watch over him."

Laxus stepped up, his eyes hard. Erza and Lucy saw him and gawked, not having seen Laxus so angry in a long, long time.

"She's the leader?" Laxus asked, glaring at the enemy.

"Yes, we're sure of it," said Erza.

"She's blocking my way. Cover me."

Lucy pulled out a key. "Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"

The maid appeared. "How many I be punished?"

"Bind that woman, but as soon as Laxus strikes, get out of there right away."

Virgo smirked naughtily. "Can I stay and be electrocuted?"

Lucy groaned and rolled her eyes. "If you really, really want to, do whatever."

Virgo burrowed down and popped back up right behind the enemy, using her chains to wrap the woman up.

"That won't hold me," the dark wizard said defiantly.

"It will long enough." Virgo whispered into the woman's ear, "I really want to be electrocuted, so please stay still."

" _What!_ " the woman screamed. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

Laxus raised his fist into the air, and the sky crackled with the stench of ozone. As Laxus chanted an incantation, his whole body lit up with lightning, which rose and formed a yellow and blue ball above him.

"Resounding through the air,  
the roar of thunder,  
plunge from the heavens  
and reap destruction!  
RAGING BOLT!"

His hand flung down, and the ball of lightning hurled with the movement, striking the enemy leader. After the blinding light faded, the woman was on the ground, twitching, and Virgo's hair stood on end, slightly smoking.

"Best … punishment … ever," she said as she faded away.

Laxus walked back over to Freed. His face was more pale now, and his breathing was shallow. Laxus saw that another blood puddle had formed under him.

"No, no, no!" he shouted. "Freed! Hold on!" He searched around Freed, trying to figure out where he was bleeding. Then he saw a stab wound he had missed with all the blood on Freed's abdomen. "Shit! Freed!"

Gray knelt beside him. "Here." He covered the wound with ice. "That will slow down the bleeding."

Laxus sighed out his anxiety. He reached his hands out, ready to pull Freed back into his arms, when Gray put a hand on his wrist.

"Rather than carrying him…" An icy magic circle formed. "Ice Make: Toboggan."

A sled formed under Freed's body, easing him up. Then Erza Requipped a coat and placed it down on top of Freed.

"Much oblige," Laxus muttered. "Please, find Wendy. Freed needs her."

Lucy pipped up, "I saw her and Bickslow fighting near one another, but I think they got separated."

"Then clear the way."

They hurried onward, but Laxus gazed down at Freed again.

"Hang on a little more."

He stood and pulled the toboggan through the battle-torn street while Gray, Erza, and Lucy helped to defeat enemies along the way. Natsu joined up, and they finally found Evergreen and Bickslow.

"Yeah, I saw Wendy," said Bickslow. "Juvia got wounded, and she was tending to her."

He pointed the way, and finally they found the young healer. Juvia was doing better, and Wendy rushed over to Freed.

"His injuries are severe." She lifted his shirt. "Did you cauterize the wound, Natsu?"

"Nope, not me," he said.

"I did," said Laxus.

Natsu leaped up at him. "You? You don't have fire. Hey, do you have fire? How did you get fire?" he shouted.

Laxus grumbled, "You have lightning now, so what does it matter?"

"I wanna fight you, Laxus. Fire against fire! Come on, let's go."

Gray scoffed, "We're in the middle of a battle, and you want to duel? You're an idiot."

"You're the idiot. Come on, Laxus, fight me!"

Laxus pointed one finger at Natsu and zapped him, blasting him backward. "Don't be noisy around Freed." He looked down at his partner and smoothed back the long, green hair. "Will he be okay?"

Wendy already had her hands out, glowing as they moved above his body. "I can heal it, but he may have scars from the cauterization."

"Heal the scars too, if you can. His skin looks better flawless and perfect."

Everyone glanced at one another, secretive smirks on many of their faces at Laxus being so proud of Freed's body. Meanwhile, Natsu slowly recovered from being zapped.

"Flawless? No way! Scars are better, right Gray?"

"Why are you asking me?" he grumbled.

"Everyone," Erza shouted out. "There are still enemies around. Gajeel, Levy, and the rest of Shadow Gear are still out there. Let's round up who has already been defeated and finish off anyone left."

"Yes!" they all shouted, and they ran off back into the fighting.

"Bickslow, Evergreen," Laxus said, and they immediately stopped. "You two protect Wendy and any others who come here wounded. I don't want anyone to bother her as she heals Freed."

Evergreen shoved her glasses up her nose. "If they get too close, they'll be turned to stone."

"Yeah," said Bickslow. "Freed always protects us. This time, we'll protect him."

They took up positions at the entrances to the little alley where Wendy was working. Laxus stayed by Freed's side, holding onto his hand. Slowly, Freed's eyes fluttered open, hazy at first, but gradually he saw those bright, blue eyes smiling at him.

"Welcome back," Laxus said with a soft sigh of relief.

"Sorry for passing out," Freed said, his voice faint and airy.

"Don't worry, you didn't miss too much."

Freed laughed weakly. "Liar."

Laxus chuckled; just as he always knew when Freed was lying, so Freed always knew about him. He leaned over and gave Freed a kiss. Then he heard a yelp from Wendy, whose whole face had turned red.

"Grow up, it's just a kiss."

Freed sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you not to kiss me in front of children."

"She's not a kid. She's Wendy. She's probably seen more than just kissing around the guild. Hell, she's seen Gray naked on an almost weekly basis."

"Still, be considerate." Freed looked over to Wendy. "Sorry about that."

"No! No, it's okay," she said, still blushing. "I'm sorry for reacting. Like you said, it's just a kiss … between two men … who are rather good-looking. Nothing much!" she squeaked.

Freed closed his eyes. "Still dizzy."

Laxus put his hand on Freed's head. "You lost a lot of blood. Sleep it off."

He nodded in agreement and drifted back to sleep.

Laxus asked Wendy, "Will he really be okay?"

"Yes, if I can have enough time to heal the injuries."

"Bickslow and Ever will make sure you have all the time you need." Laxus rose to his feet. "I'm gonna find the bastards who did this to Freed. A few extra zaps for good measure should teach them their lessons, before handing them over to the authorities." He walked away, eager to get revenge.

Wendy sighed and shook her head. "You're so lucky, Freed. He really does love you."


End file.
